Holly Robinson Peete on Autism, Allergies, and The Talk

“It’s our passion to make others more aware and help families in the same situation as us.”

Holly Robinson Peete, in my humble opinion, is a super woman, although ask her how she manages to pull it all off; motherhood to not one but FOUR kids, a long-term successful Hollywood marriage and the grind of a daily talk show, and she downplays the intensity of it all. Which, of course, makes me like her even more because she doesn’t pretend to have all the answers, or to be an “expert”, but rather cuts herself a lot of slack and is incredibly grateful for the fact that she’s been able to sustain a career in an industry that spits out its youngest starlets at a break-neck pace.

But more than spending her days on The Talk presiding over current events and divulging tidbits of life with her former pro football hunk of a husband Rodney Peete, Holly is passionate about being an advocate for kids, whether it’s rallying Washington to shed more light on families dealing with Autism, or her latest pet project — working with Dey Pharma to raise awareness about life-threatening allergic reactions, also known as anaphylaxis, and the issues related to anaphylaxis in schools. As a parent of children with severe allergies and a history of anaphylaxis, Holly is once again fighting the good fight and sharing her personal experience of managing her children’s allergies to gain awareness for other parents of children with severe allergies. We caught up with Holly to chat motherhood, balancing acts and being an advocate for her kids.

Motherhood, the balancing act — it’s the age-old question, but how do you really do it?I don’t think there is a balance. There are good days and bad days. On good days, pat yourself on the back. You’re going to drop the ball sometimes. You’ve got to pick the ball back up and keep moving. I find it helpful to make lists – an ‘A’ list of “must-dos” and a ‘B’ list of other priorities.

How have you been able to sustain a career in Hollywood as long as you have? What’s your insider secret to not falling prey, as so many young starlets have, to splashy tabloid headlines of boozing and failure?It’s important to always stay professional so that you build a reputation of being someone that people want to work with. Be kind to the crews that you work with on set, because you will encounter the same people again and again.

What made you decide to take on the allergy cause? How have you personally been affected by your children’s allergies, and why is this something every parent needs to be schooled on?My children have severe allergies and I’ve been with them in life-threatening situations. I want more people to be aware of this serious issue.